Introducing Ropley's History Network Website and Digital Archive

How the Archive started

Ropley’s original archive was started and gradually amassed over the years by Tim Day, who later became the Parish Council’s archivist. Then in 2019, he, along with other like-minded villagers formed Ropley History Network and Archive Steering Group with the intention to create a website and digital archive for the research and archiving of material about the village and its surrounding area – to be accessible for all to use and enjoy.

The website and archive would support the group by enabling local people and those further afield to contribute and research and also to showcase all the local history projects that have been created by villagers such as farming heritage and gravestone recording.

In spring 2021, thanks to the contributions of National Lottery players, the group were delighted and excited to be awarded funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/

Since then, a great band of volunteers have assisted the effort to populate the new website and digital archive. A year on, the website has gone live and is accessible to all.

As well as Tim’s existing archive, exciting contributions from other collectors and enthusiasts have seen the new archive grow, while at the same time being supported by records loaned from official bodies such as the Hampshire Records Office and Winchester College.

About us

Ropley History Network and Archive is run by a steering group and assisted by other volunteer cataloguers and contributors. Please contact us if you would like to assist us with the archiving.